Yes, I understand the social class connotations in Britain, trust me (I call them The Pretentious Bunch) but I think that, Andy was also a rough cut diamond that needed to be polished and that’s because it’s a lot about attitude as well and Andy was quite stubborn in his growing years. It’s true though that the Americans don’t really care about polished behavior as much, because they simply adored players like John McEnroe and Jimmy Connors, who actually acted like dicks at times during matches. I don’t feel Andy’s behavior was ever so bad or nearly as bad, but still, he had to take a lot of unnecessary criticism because he wasn’t anything like Henman. Well, as well behaved as Henman was, I was never really a fan, though I believe he’s really a very good person and I don’t find anything pretentious about him.

I like Tim Henman and he has always acknowledged Andy's talent but he wasn't always well behaved. Don't forget he was disqualified at Wimbledon for hitting a ball directly at a ball girl. He apologised profusely afterwards but it shows what can happen in the heat of the moment. Tennis is a very intense game. And that was during a doubles match - singles is even more intense.

Yup... there are some folks ...usually control type obessesors ..who only function when a+b=c is put in front of them or regard something they read in a book etc as now a fact in their minds...immune to the subjective or concept of. Life is thankfully full of if/but/maybe and thats what makes it interesting and challenging....same in sport. Im sure they use all essential hygiene pre-reqs for tennis to ensure its 'clean'..I like to swig some anti-bacterial mouthwash before Andy plays... just in case...lol

I like Tim Henman and he has always acknowledged Andy's talent but he wasn't always well behaved. Don't forget he was disqualified at Wimbledon for hitting a ball directly at a ball girl. He apologised profusely afterwards but it shows what can happen in the heat of the moment. Tennis is a very intense game. And that was during a doubles match - singles is even more intense.

Yeah...I agree...in any 1-on-1 sport is high in intensity ... imo. The media comments from Tim Henman suggest him to be a very respectful person....that stuff goes 'out the window' tho when peoples buttons are pushed..and when someone is threatened by another ..buttons are pushed. Logic tends to get tossed... people who think it requires another level of intelligence to avoid that ...well I'd be willing to pop down the bookies and bet when their buttons are pushed and 'out of character' response ensues. There is no such thing as a perfect person..and at best its subjective anyway. I dont care how 'nice' Tim was deemed to be on a tennis court. He wasn't anywhere as good a tennis player as Andy...and wasn't any better a person. People are people... we all make mistakes...occasionally do the wrong thing ...Andy, Tim, Djoko, Nadal GodFed etc etc etc

He was the best our country had seen since Fred Perry and was criminally under-rated for his achievements by the vast majority of the British press and public. He added spice to the tennis year for me by giving me a home name to root for at the top end of the game for the first time in my lifetime and I was thrilled for him when he won his only Masters title.

He clearly wasn't in Andy's league, but he had beautiful net-court play and did his utmost for a country that often took pleasure in ******** on him, just as it has on Andy - I faithfully supported him every year and was often mocked for it, as if winning Grand Slams was the only thing that made you worthy of support. If that were true I feel sorry for everybody that isn't Del Potro or one of the top 4.

It's far to easy to sneer at Tim Henman, and I have a feeling it will become easier now that Andy has broken his duck, but I personally find the impulse to be petty and beneath people, particularly Andy's supporters who have had to fight to get their player some measure of recognition for so long.

I don't think Henman was a choker as such, just with him it was always like he was over-achieving especially at Wimbledon, he had a late surge in his final year on the tour reaching semi finals of other slams but whereas there was always belief that andy would win a grand slam, i never felt it with Tim, if i'm right he only ever won 1 masters event and that was Paris i believe?

I like Tim Henman and he has always acknowledged Andy's talent but he wasn't always well behaved. Don't forget he was disqualified at Wimbledon for hitting a ball directly at a ball girl. He apologised profusely afterwards but it shows what can happen in the heat of the moment. Tennis is a very intense game. And that was during a doubles match - singles is even more intense.

Henman was only 20 years old at the time, so I suppose a certain amount of hot-headedness could be forgiven. And anyway he claimed, rightly or wrongly, that his intention wasn't to hit her, just that she had the misfortune to get in the way of the ball. And talking of that, didn't Andy have a close encounter in one tournament earlier this year when he angrily smashed a ball into the net, just missing hitting a passing ball-boy on the other side? That too was unintentional but had the boy been struck by the ball Andy would have been disqualified, and what an uproar that would have caused!

He was the best our country had seen since Fred Perry and was criminally under-rated for his achievements by the vast majority of the British press and public. He added spice to the tennis year for me by giving me a home name to root for at the top end of the game for the first time in my lifetime and I was thrilled for him when he won his only Masters title.

He clearly wasn't in Andy's league, but he had beautiful net-court play and did his utmost for a country that often took pleasure in sh*tting on him, just as it has on Andy - I faithfully supported him every year and was often mocked for it, as if winning Grand Slams was the only thing that made you worthy of support. If that were true I feel sorry for everybody that isn't Del Potro or one of the top 4.

It's far to easy to sneer at Tim Henman, and I have a feeling it will become easier now that Andy has broken his duck, but I personally find the impulse to be petty and beneath people, particularly Andy's supporters who have had to fight to get their player some measure of recognition for so long.

/rant

I agree Kavanaugh. To discount Tim's achievements in the game would seem to me to be the same as rubbishing the achievements of the likes of Tsonga, Ferrer and others who are terrific tennis players who add great excitement and entertainment to the tournaments on the circuit.

I agree Henman was a great volleyer but as others have said, and he acknowledges, he was not in Andy's league. I can't say I was a fan as I don't automatically support people just because they're British. He was too 'middle England' for me and I thought his attempts at fist pumping were rather sad. But I'd never have taken the 'anyone but' stance that some Brits adopt towards Andy. And my perception was that he got much more support than Andy has done [until perhaps post-Wimbledon this year but let's see] and didn't attract the brickbats Andy does.